Mattress Cover For Mattresses of Different Heights

ABSTRACT

A removable mattress cover adapted to fit mattresses of different heights and keep bed bugs out of the mattress. The mattress cover has three different zipper tracks, two of which may be combined to form a zipper. One of the zipper tracks is around the perimeter of a removable top which may quickly and easily be removed and be laundered without moving the mattress. The cover has a zipper closure which utilizes hook and loop fasteners to cover a zipper opening, regardless of which two zipper tracks are combined. The zipper closure prevents bed bugs from penetrating the cover and getting into the mattress.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Bedbugs have become increasingly common throughout the United States. Inorder to protect against bedbugs entering a mattress or box spring,covers have been manufactured to encase a mattress. Such covers havetraditionally been manufactured and offered for sale for a mattress of aparticular height. For example, one cover is made for a nine inch highmattress; another for a mattress having a 12 inch height; and lastly, amattress having a 15 inch height.

One difficulty in selling three such products is that retailers have tostock and maintain a sufficient inventory of all three size covers.Another difficulty encountered by customers is difficulty in removingthe mattress cover for washing.

Therefore, there is a need for a mattress cover designed to keep bedbugsaway from a mattress which may be used with mattresses of differentheights.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a removable mattress cover adapted tofit mattresses of different heights. The mattress cover comprises agenerally rectangular, removable top having a zipper track around itsperimeter, a slider attached to the zipper track and a pull tab attachedto the slider. The mattress cover further comprises a bottom, includinga floor portion and a continuous sidewall portion extending upwardlyfrom the floor portion. The sidewall portion has an extension secured toan upper portion of the sidewall portion. The sidewall portion has azipper track around its perimeter and the extension has a zipper trackaround its perimeter, wherein the zipper track of the top and one of thezipper tracks of the bottom may be zipped together. The floor portionand the continuous sidewall portion may be made of one piece ofmaterial.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the removable mattresscover comprises a generally rectangular, removable top having a zippertrack around its perimeter, a slider attached to the zipper track and apull tab attached to the slider. The mattress cover further comprises aone piece bottom having a zipper track around its perimeter. Themattress cover further comprises an extension secured to an upperportion of the bottom, the extension having a zipper track around itsperimeter, wherein the zipper track of the top and one of the zippertracks of the bottom may be zipped together to encase a mattress.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the removable mattresscover comprises a top having a zipper track around its perimeter and abottom having a zipper track around its perimeter. The mattress coverfurther comprises an extension secured to an upper portion of thebottom, the extension having a zipper track around its perimeter whereinthe zipper track of the top and one of the zipper tracks of the bottommay be zipped together to encase a mattress.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the removable mattresscover comprises a zipper closure adapted to cover a zipper opening. Thezipper closure includes a hook and loop fastener for purposes of keepbed bugs from entering the cover through a zipper opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the mattress cover of the presentinvention encasing a “short” mattress;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mattress cover of FIG. 1 encasing a“tall” mattress;

FIG. 1A is an enlarged view of the encircled area 1A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is an enlarged view of the encircled area 2A of FIG. 2;

FIG. 1B is a cross sectional view of a portion of the mattress cover ofFIG. 1 showing the mattress cover in an open condition;

FIG. 2B is a cross sectional view of a portion of the mattress cover ofFIG. 2 showing the mattress cover in an open condition;

FIG. 1C is an enlarged view of the encircled area 1C of FIG. 1B;

FIG. 2C is an enlarged view of the encircled area 2C of FIG. 2B; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged and partially disassembled elevational view of aportion of the mattress cover of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and, particularly FIGS. 1 and 2, there isillustrated a removable mattress cover 10 for covering a mattress 12 ofa first height H1 and a mattress 12 a of a second height H2 greater thanthe first height H1. Each mattress 12 and 12 a has length L and a widthW and may be made of any desired materials. The invention describedherein is not intended to limit the mattress or bedding product 12 or 12a.

The cover 10 comprises a generally rectangular top 14 having a zippertrack 16 comprising multiple teeth 17 sewn or otherwise secured aroundits perimeter via sewn seam 15. See FIG. 3. For purposes of thisdocument, a zipper track is half of a zipper. As best shown in FIG. 3,the zipper track 16 has a stop 18 and a slider 19 attached to the zippertrack 16. Slider 19 is movable along the teeth 17 of zipper track 16, asis known in the art. A pull tab 20 is attached to the slider 19, also asknown in the art, for purposes of moving the slider 19 along the teeth17 of zipper track 16.

As best shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the cover 10 further comprises a onepiece bottom 22 having a floor portion 24 located underneath themattress 12 and a continuous sidewall portion 26 extending around allfour sides of the mattress 12. The continuous sidewall portion 26extends upwardly from the floor portion 24 of the bottom 22.

A zipper track 28 comprising multiple teeth 29 and having a starter 30adapted to engage the slider 19 is sewn or otherwise secured via sewnseam 32 to the perimeter of the bottom 22 and, more particularly, to anupper portion of the sidewall portion 26 of the bottom 22. See FIG. 3.The sewn seam 32 attaches the zipper track 28 to the bottom 22. In orderto fit the mattress cover 10 over a “short” mattress 12 of a height H1as shown in FIG. 1, the zipper track 28 of the bottom is combined withthe zipper track 16 of the top 14 to make a zipper 34 which extendsaround the upper portion of the mattress 12.

As shown in FIG. 3, an extension 36 is secured via a sewn seam 38 to anupper portion 40 of the bottom 22 and, more particularly, to an upperportion 40 of the continuous sidewall portion 26 of the bottom 22. Asshown in FIGS. 1B and 1C, the extension 36 is tucked inside thecontinuous sidewall portion 26 of the bottom 22 when the cover 10 isused on a “short” mattress 10, i.e., when zipper track 28 of bottom 22and zipper track 16 of top 14 are joined.

As shown in FIGS. 2B, 2C and 3, a zipper track 42 comprising multipleteeth 44 and having a starter 46 adapted to engage the slider 19 is sewnor otherwise secured via sewn seam 48 to the perimeter of the extension36 and, more particularly, to an upper portion of the extension 36. SeeFIG. 3. The sewn seam 48 attaches the zipper track 42 to the extension36. As shown in FIG. 2, in order to fit the mattress cover 10 over a“tall” mattress 12 a of a height H2, greater than the height H1 of themattress 10 shown in FIG. 1, the zipper track 42 of the extension 36 iscombined with the zipper track 16 of the top 14 to make a zipper 50which extends around the upper portion of the mattress 12 a.

In addition to being able to fit correctly over mattresses of differentheights, another advantage of the mattress cover 10 of the presentinvention is its ability to prevent bed bugs from penetrating the covervia a zipper opening. As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A, a zipper closure52 may be used to cover an end of zipper 34, including slider 19 andpull tab 20. The zipper closure 52 comprises a rectangular piece ofmaterial 54 having an outer surface of hook material 56 sewn orotherwise secured to an outer surface of the sidewall portion 26 of thebottom 22, as shown in FIG. 3. Another rectangular piece of material 58having an outer surface of hook material 56 is sewn or otherwise securedto an outer surface of the top 14 of the cover 10, as shown in FIG. 3. Athird rectangular piece of material 60 having an inner surface of loopmaterial 62 is sewn or otherwise secured to the top 14 of the cover 10,as shown in FIG. 3. The hook and loop materials 56, 62, respectively,are adapted to engage one another to cover a portion of the zipper 34,as shown in FIG. 1. If desired, the hook and loop materials may bereversed.

Similarly, for use when the cover 10 is used to cover a “tall” mattress12 a, another rectangular piece of material 64 having an outer surfaceof hook material 56 is sewn or otherwise secured to an outer surface ofthe extension 36, as shown in FIG. 3. The rectangular piece of material60 having an inner surface of loop material 62 sewn or otherwise securedto the top 14 of the cover 10 via sewn seam 63 is adapted to engage thehook material 56 of the piece 58 of top 14 and piece 64 of extension 36to create a zipper closure 66 used to cover an end of zipper 50,including slider 19 and pull tab 20, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 2A.

While I have described several preferred embodiments of the presentinvention, persons skilled in the art will appreciate changes andmodifications which may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention. For example, although one configuration of zipper closure isillustrated and described, the zipper closure of the present inventionmay be other configurations. Therefore, I intend to be limited only bythe scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof.

1. A removable mattress cover comprising: a generally rectangular,removable top having a zipper track around its perimeter, a sliderattached to the zipper track and a pull tab attached to the slider; abottom, including a floor portion and a continuous sidewall portionextending upwardly from the floor portion, the sidewall portion havingan extension secured to the sidewall portion, the sidewall portionhaving a zipper track around its perimeter and the extension having azipper track around its perimeter wherein the zipper track of the topand one of the zipper tracks of the bottom may be zipped together. 2.The cover of claim 1 wherein the floor portion and continuous sidewallportion are made of one piece of material.
 3. The cover of claim 1further comprising a zipper closure adapted to cover a zipper opening,the zipper closure including hook and loop fasteners.
 4. The cover ofclaim 1 further comprising a pair of zipper closures, each of the zipperclosures being adapted to cover a zipper opening, each zipper closureincluding hook and loop fasteners.
 5. The cover of claim 1 wherein thebottom is made of polyester fabric.
 6. The cover of claim 5 wherein thepolyester fabric has a polyurethane laminate backing.
 7. A removablemattress cover comprising: a generally rectangular, removable top havinga zipper track around its perimeter, a slider attached to the zippertrack and a pull tab attached to the slider; a one piece bottom having azipper track around its perimeter; an extension secured to an upperportion of the bottom, the extension having a zipper track around itsperimeter wherein the zipper track of the top and one of the zippertracks of the bottom may be zipped together to encase a mattress.
 8. Thecover of claim 7 wherein the top is made of polyester fabric.
 9. Thecover of claim 7 wherein the bottom is made of polyester fabric.
 10. Thecover of claim 9 wherein the polyester fabric has a polyurethanelaminate backing.
 11. The cover of claim 7 further comprising a zipperclosure adapted to cover a zipper opening, the zipper closure includinghook and loop fasteners.
 12. The cover of claim 7 further comprising apair of zipper closures, each of the zipper closures being adapted tocover a zipper opening, each zipper closure including hook and loopfasteners.
 13. A removable mattress cover comprising: a top having azipper track around its perimeter; a bottom having a zipper track aroundits perimeter; an extension secured to an upper portion of the bottom,the extension having a zipper track around its perimeter wherein thezipper track of the top and one of the zipper tracks of the bottom maybe zipped together to encase a mattress.
 14. The cover of claim 13further comprising a slider attached to the zipper track of the top anda pull tab attached to the slider.
 15. The cover of claim 13 wherein thetop is made of polyester fabric.
 16. The cover of claim 13 wherein thebottom is made of polyester fabric.
 17. The cover of claim 16 whereinthe polyester fabric has a polyurethane laminate backing.
 18. The coverof claim 13 wherein the extension is located inside the bottom when thezipper track of the bottom and the zipper track of the top are zippedtogether.
 19. The cover of claim 13 further comprising a zipper closureadapted to cover a zipper opening, the zipper closure including hook andloop fasteners.
 20. The cover of claim 13 further comprising a pair ofzipper closures, each of the zipper closures being adapted to cover azipper opening, each zipper closure including hook and loop fasteners.